Compare towns
Phillips vs Appleton vs Pittston vs Avon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Pittston has the highest household income ($87k).
Avon has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Phillips | Appleton | Pittston | Avon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,094 |
1,360 |
3,093Highest |
359Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
47.1±5.1 5% above ME |
| Phillips and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±6.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Avon and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$63,125±$32k 16% below ME |
| Pittston and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$141,700±$42kLowest 52% below ME |
| Pittston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $483±$377 58% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$465±$30Lowest 59% below ME |
| Appleton and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,582 15% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,909 37% below ME |
$1,469Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
90%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Avon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
78.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 8% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
42 minHighest 71% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±8.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.